Trouble light for automobiles



G. L. LAMB.

TROUBLELIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28, 1921.

Patented Oct. 10,1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

M 6 L. M W a G. L. LAMB.

TROUBLE LIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICA ION FILED SEPT 28. 1921.

Patented Oct. 10, 1 922.

Fatented Get. 11%, 352 22..

GEORGE L; LAMB, 0F NAPPAINEE, INDIANA.

TROUBLE LIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Applicationfiled September 28, 1921. Serial No. 588,715.

new and useful Improvements in Trouble Lights for Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to trouble lights particularly adapted for use upon automobiles.

An object of the present invention is to provide a trouble light which is portable and which may be attached to the belt or other clothing of the person for holding.

the light ina desired position to reflect rays of the light onto the part of the mechanism or automobile desired when making adjustments, repairs or the like at night.

Another object of the invention is to provide the light with a support or standard which may be folded out of the Way when not in use, and which is adjustable for supporting the light upon a flat surface at a desired height.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined cap and reflector so arranged as to protect the bulb and adjacent parts of the lamp when not in use and arranged to form a reflector for directing the rays of the light and concentrating the rays upon part of the mechanism which it is desired to work upon.

- 'The invention still further aims at the provision of a trouble light embodying the above characteristics and which has an extensible cable or electric conductor which may be attached at one end to a socket fixed upon the instrument board or other suitable location on the vehicle, and which at its other end is connected to the trouble light. The cable is arranged upon the trouble light in such manner that the portion of the cable when retracted is entirely housed and protected within the casing of the trouble li ht and is held therein to expose desired lengihs of the cable for facilitating the handling of the lamp without danger of injury to the cable and lamp.

W1th the foregoing and other objects in View, the inyentionwill be more fully described herelnafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols .refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Fig. 1 1s a perspective view of a trouble light constructed according to the present inventlon, the same being adjusted in position for use when supported upon a flat surface;

F 1g. 2 is a rear elevation of the same with the cap closed;

F 1g. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the lamp in the open and set up position of Fig. 1;

F1 4 1s a-transverse section taken on the llne 4-4 of Fig. 3 through the upper portlon of the lamp;

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken through an intermediate portion of the lamp on the l1ne 5-5 of Fig. 3;

F 1g. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the lower end of the casing, showlng a portion of the spring and its cap mounted therein;

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the combined hook support and guideway for the adjustable stand; and,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the guideway and stand as applied to the side of the casing.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a casing or drum of referably cylindrical construction and whic is open at its lower end and provided at its upper end with an annular top wall 11 having at its inner marginal edge an upstanding annular flange 12. Arranged centrally within the casing 10 is a drum 13 which may be of uniform diameter throughout and which is -adapted to be introduced into the lower open end of the casing and fitted at its upper end into the flange 12 for holding the'drum rotatably therein; v

The drum 13 has an upper flange 14 which is, spaced from thetupper extremity of the drum and which has an annular rin 15 at its inner marginal edge by means 0 which the flange 14 is secured to the drum. The rin 15 extends, upwardly from the flange an forms an abutment or bearin surface for contact with the lower side 0 the top wall 11 ofthe casing to limit theupward insertion of the drum in the casing. The lower end of the drum 13 is provided with a flange or disk 16 which notonly closes the lower endof the drum, but which extends radiall therebeyond and forms an opposite con ning wall cooperating with the flange 14 for accommodating an electric cord, a cable or the like which may be wound upon the'drum.

The disk 16 is provided at its central portion with a depending hub 17 which has bearing through the centralortion of a cap 18 which is fitted to the ower end of e casing 10, and which, as shown, may extend at its marginal portion into the drum and be secured detachably therein by one or more set screws 19. The cap 18 is of;

. sufficient depth to contain and house a splral spring 20, and 'the' latter at its outer end is anchored to the cap 18 by overturning the outer end of the spring to form a hook 21,-as shown in Fig. 6, and the hook is en-' gaged over a tongue 22 which is securedto the inner peripheral surface of the cap 18 and engages the hook 21. The. inner end of the s ring 20 is also provided with a hook 23 adapted, to engage in a longitudinal slot 24 formed in the hub 17 of the.drum,-the spring 20 thus normally 13 to turn'in one direction. v

The upper open end of the drum 13 is closed by an insulating'block'25 of suitable electric non-conducting material, and the block is fitted snugly in the drum and spaced from the upper extremity thereof. The block is centrall 'apertured to form asocket for receivin lamp 27, an the block 25 carries. contacts 28 and 29 which are adapted to be engaged by the usual projections on the plug 26 when the latter is seated in the socket. A reflector 30 .of concave convex form is seated on the upper side of the block 25 and is apertu'red to receive the plug 26 therethrough, the source of light orbulb 27 be ing arranged above the reflector 30 as shown in Fig. 3. The marginal portion of the reand is frictionally held therein.

urging the drumt e plug 26 of an electric-,-

e top of the drum 13 is dome s ape and which is provided with a marginal flange 32 outstanding from the lower edge of the cap and adapted to seat upon the top wall 11 of the casing when the cap is closed. At the rear side of the cap 31, the flange .32 is stamped to provide a pair of upstanding ears 33. against which engage a second pair of cars 34 which are stamped and turned upwardly from the top wall. 11.

The cooperating pairs of ears 33 and 34 The cap is adapted to be swung down .into

closed position against tension of the spring 36, and to hold-the cap closed, a spring latch 39 is mounted upon the forward'side of the casing 10 with its nose projecting above the wall 11 suflicientlyto receive the flange 32 therebeneath. A wear plate 40 is mounted upon the forward side of the cap 31 to engage beneath the latch 39 for taking up frictlonal contact and wear which would.

otherwise be imposed upon the flange 32.

Wound upon the drum 13 is an electric cord or cable 41 with itsinner end carried-- through thesidewall of the drum 13 and connected to the spring contacts 28 and 29. The outer. end of the cord 41 is threaded through alongitudinal slot 42 formed in the outer wall of'the casing 10"and such 'freeend of the cord may be carried to any suitable sourceofelectric energy for. either perman'ent or detachable connection thereto.

The flange 14fo-f the drum provided at suitable intervals injits periphery with-- notches or recesses43fadapt ed to receive thenose 44 of a spring pawl or latch 45. mounted upon the extenor-side-ofthe casing 10 and projecting through theica'sin at a point in registry with theflange 14. lh'e spring" latch or pawl 45 is preferably stamped from a sin leblank or strip of metal which is slitte lengthwise at one end to form by one branchthe nose-44 and at its other-branch an attaching tongue 46 which may-be welded-or oth'erwisesuitably secured to the side of the casing 10.- The other end of the strip or blanklpro'vides a handle orthumb piece adapted to be depressed for'swinging the nose 44 outwardlyfrom the drum upon the flexing of the overturned attaching portion46."',

' It will be also noted that the spring latch 39 maybe welded to the exterior side of the drum and extends upwardly beneath the spring latch or pawl 45 to dispose these. members at the forward side of the casingand adjacent to the slot42 foreasy access.

Secured long udinally tO-IthQ Of the has at its upper end a shouldered lockin tongue 48 of a width adapted to fit between the pairs of ears 33 and 34 at the top of the casing and arranged to project beneath the top wall for anchoring the upper end of the channel strip to the casing. The strip 37 I also carries an upstanding stop 49 against which the cap 31 is adapted to-engage. when "swung open, and the spring 36 is adapted to hold the cap against this stop.

At one edge, the strip 47 is rolled over to form a bearing 50 for receiving one end 0 a hook 51 constructed of wire or the like and which projects downwardly to a considerable extent for engaging in a belt or in the clothing forsupporting the casing on the body so that both hands may be free for making adjustments and repairs.

The lower end of the channel strip 47 is provided with an opening 52' for the reception of a threaded stud 53 which is secured to the casing 10 and which projects rearwardly therefrom. The stud 53 carries a thumb nut 54 adapted to be turned up against the outer side of the channel strip 47 for binding the latter against the rear side of the casing.

Slidably fitting in the channel strip 47 is a slotted arm or standard 55 having a side portion disposed at each side of the stud 53 and the latter forming an interlock between the arm 55 and channel strip 47. The arm 55 is of such thickness that when the thumb screw 54 is turned up against the channel strip 47, the latter is caused to frictionally bind against the arm 55 and hold it in any desired position of adjustment. The outer or lower end of the arm 55 is spread into a base or loop 56 of sufiicient size or diameter to support the casing 10. Preferably, the standard 55 and the base 56 are formed from a single length of wire which provides the base loop and the upstanding arm or standard with its side portions and intermediate slot. Preferably, a sheet metal clip 57 is adapted to the lower end of the standard 55 for holding the lower ends of the standard from spreading and such clip may be provided with an apertured lug 58 bent at a suitable angle for engagement over a support, such. as a. screw, a nail or other suitable device found convenient for suspension of the lamp.

In use, the outer end* of the cable 41 is connected to a source of electric energy and if it is desired to support the lamp upon the belt, the hook 51 is swung out into position for engaging over the belt or other garment for suspending the lamp at the front of the person. 1

The spring latch 45 is depressed to release the drum 13 and the cord 41 is drawn out of the casing to the desired length so that the user may move about freely without g danger of damage to the lamp. As soon as the desired length of the cable is drawn out, the spring latch 45 may be released so asto interlock with the notches 43 and hold the drum from retrograde movement. During this time, the stand may be folded or re tracted by loosening the thumb screw 54 and forcing the standard 55 up into the channel strip 47; The thumb screw 54 being then tightened holds-the standard 55 in this collapsed position.

The latch 39 is now sprung into releasing position and the spring 36 raises the cap 31 and supports it against the stop 49. The cap 31 is of dome shape for the purpose of concentrating and reflecting the rays of li ht from the lamp 27 onto the object or location at which the light is desired.

1 If it is desired to use the lamp on the ground, or on some other fiat support, the standardis used and for this purpose the base 56 is rested upon the support and the casing raised upon the standard 55 to the desired height and clamped thereon when such adjustment is obtained.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is;

1. In a trouble lamp for automobiles, a casing. a drum in the casing, a cord mounted on the drum and projecting at one end thrlough the casing,- means for normally urging the drum to turn in one direction for winding the cord thereon, means for locking the drum when the cord is extended, an electric lamp mounted in exposed position on the casing and connected to the cord, a spring pressed cap mounted upon the casing adapted to be normally raised into position for reflecting rays of the lamp outwardly from the casing, and releasable means for holding the cap closed over the lamp when out of use for protecting the lamp, substantially as described.

2. In a trouble lamp for automobiles, a casing, a spring upright drum in the casing, a cord carried by the drum and projecting at one end through the casing for attachment to a source of electric energy, a lamp in the casing connected to the other end of the cord, said cord being adapted to be extended from the casing to the desired length, means for locking the drum upon adjustment of the cord, means for supporting the casing on the clothing of the operator, and a combined closure and reflector spring pressed cap mounted upon the easing arranged to protect the lamp and normally urged into open position for reflecting rays of the lamp outwardly from the casing, an attaching member mounted upon the rear side of the casing, a. standard adjustably mounted on the attaching member adapted to support the casing at various heights, and a hook pivoted to said attaching member for engagement in the clothin to suspend the casing on the person an 7 adapted to be swung upon'said attaching member into position against the side of the casing out of the way-when not in use, substantrally as described.

GEORGE LAMB.- 

